Designers of electronic circuits generally are concerned with two basic circuit portions, the logic or signal portion and the power portion. In designing logic circuits, the designer usually does not have to take into account any changes in electrical properties, such as resistance of circuit components, that are brought about by changes in conditions, such as temperature, because current flows in logic circuits are usually relatively low. However, power circuits can undergo changes in electrical properties because of the relatively high current flows, for example, on the order of 30 amps or more in certain electronic equipment. Consequently, connectors designed for use in power circuits must be capable of dissipating heat (generated primarily as a result of the Joule effect) so that changes in circuit characteristics as a result of changing current flow are minimized. Conventional plug contacts in circuit board electrical power connectors are generally of rectangular (blade-like) or circular (pin-like) cross-section. These are so-called “singular-mass” designs. In these conventional singular-mass blade and pin configurations, the opposing receptacle contacts comprise a pair of inwardly urged cantilever beams and the mating blade or pin is located between the pair of beams. Such arrangements are difficult to reduce in size without adversely effecting heat dissipation capabilities. They also provide only minimal flexibility to change contact normal forces by adjustment of contact geometry.
There is a need for a small contact which efficiently dissipates heat and which has readily modifiable contact normal forces.